Goat Cheese Pasta Salad

This Goat Cheese Pasta Salad stays creamy instead of drying out in the fridge, thanks to a simple pasta water technique. Fresh arugula, lemon, sundried tomatoes and pistachios make it feel a bit elevated, while still being easy enough for cookouts, lunches and summer dinners.

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Arugula Pasta Salad Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• fusilli pasta – we tested this recipe with several short pasta shapes, and fusilli consistently worked best because all those twists grab onto the creamy goat cheese dressing. The unique shape of fusilli seen in these photos is called “fusilli bucati,” which we have found in both the De Cecco brand, at Target under their Good & Gather brand. Traditional fusilli, rotini or cavatappi all work well here, so no need to stress about a particular pasta shape.
• goat cheese – you’ll use most of the goat cheese in the dressing itself, where it melts into the warm pasta water and creates a smooth, tangy sauce. Reserve a little for crumbling over the top right before serving so you still get pockets of fresh goat cheese flavor.
• garlic – just one small clove gives the dressing savory depth without overpowering the other flavors. A microplane works best here so the garlic disappears smoothly into the dressing
• olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and honey – this combination builds the tangy, creamy dressing that is stable enough to coat the pasta instead of sliding off into the bottom of the bowl. The tiny bit of honey balances the sharpness of the goat cheese and lemon.
• lemon juice and lemon zest – the juice adds acidity and the zest reinforces it. Always zest the lemon before juicing it. Future you will appreciate it.
• baby arugula – arugula turns this into more of an arugula pasta salad situation instead of just another creamy noodle salad. Its peppery flavor works well with goat cheese.
• sundried tomatoes – oil-packed sundried tomatoes add concentrated sweet-savory flavor and chewy texture. They also help this sundried tomato pasta salad recipe feel a little more substantial.
• pistachios – pistachios stay crunchier than softer nuts once chilled, and their flavor works really well with lemon and basil.
• basil – fresh basil ties everything together and keeps the salad tasting fresh, even after a night in the refrigerator.

How To Make Goat Cheese Pasta Salad

1. COOK. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. 

2. WHISK. Meanwhile, crumble 3/4 of the goat cheese into a large bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, lemon zest, honey, salt and pepper and whisk until combined. 

3. EMULSIFY. Add the reserved pasta water to the dressing and whisk until creamy and smooth. It will seem a little loose at first, but the pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it chills. Transfer about half of the dressing to a small bowl and refrigerate. 

4. TOSS. Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the bowl with the remaining dressing. Toss thoroughly so the warm pasta absorbs all that creamy goat cheese goodness.
5. CHILL. Refrigerate the pasta salad at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Refrigerate the reserved dressing and remaining goat cheese separately. 

6. FINISH. Just before serving, add the arugula, sundried tomatoes, pistachios, basil and reserved dressing. Toss gently, then crumble the remaining goat cheese over the top.

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad Variations

• MIX AND MATCH VEGGIES – We’ve tested this pasta salad with everything from asparagus and tomatoes (which you may remember from a previous version) to this version with peppery arugula and sundried tomatoes, and honestly, this newer version is the one we keep making on repeat. But the recipe is flexible enough to adapt to whatever vegetables you have hanging around in the fridge.
• ADD CHICKEN – grilled or rotisserie chicken turns this into a really solid summer dinner instead of just a side dish.
• SWAP THE GREENS – baby spinach works if you don’t love the peppery bite of arugula.
• USE TOASTED WALNUTS – walnuts give the salad a slightly earthier flavor than pistachios.